Assignment Overview
One of the most important skills for educators, caregivers, and child development professionals is the ability to see the world from a child's perspective.
Infants and toddlers experience their environment very differently than adults. Their world is built through movement, sensory exploration, trial-and-error learning, and interactions with responsive caregivers. Every day they are developing physically, cognitively, socially, emotionally, and linguistically as they explore the people and objects around them.
This activity is designed to help you step into the world of an infant and toddler by experiencing the environment from developmental positions commonly reached during the first years of life. By temporarily changing your perspective, you will gain a deeper understanding of how children experience their surroundings and how developmental milestones influence learning and exploration.
As you complete this activity, think about the concepts discussed in Chapters 5–7, including:
- Piaget's Sensorimotor Stage
- Erikson's Trust vs. Mistrust and Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
- Gross motor development
- Sensory exploration and learning
- Brain development and environmental interactions
- The interconnectedness of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development
Learning Objectives
By completing this assignment, you will:
✔ Experience the environment from the perspective of an infant and toddler
✔ Examine how movement influences learning and exploration
✔ Connect developmental theory to real-world experiences
✔ Reflect on the relationship between physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development
✔ Develop greater empathy for young children and their developmental journey
Part 1: Complete the "What You See" Experiment
Spend approximately 2–3 minutes in each position listed below.
As you move through each position, pay attention to:
- What you can see
- What you can hear
- What you can touch or feel
- Your ability to move
- Your range of motion and reach
- How your perspective of the environment changes
Experimental Positions:
A. Lying on Your Back
Lie flat on your back and observe your surroundings.
Consider:
- What is within your visual field?
- What is difficult to see?
- How easy is it to interact with your environment?
B. Lying on Your Side
Roll onto your side and continue observing.
Consider:
- How has your perspective changed?
- What new things can you see or reach?
C. Lying on Your Tummy
Roll onto your stomach and lift your head as an infant might during tummy time.
Consider:
- How much effort does it take?
- What can you now observe?
D. Crawling Position
Get on your hands and knees and crawl around your environment if physically able.
Consider:
- How does movement change what you can explore?
- What objects suddenly become accessible?
If physical limitations prevent crawling, imagine the experience and discuss how mobility affects exploration.
E. Upright Kneeling Position
Kneel upright on both knees to simulate the height and perspective of a young toddler.
Consider:
- What can you see now that was unavailable before?
- How has your ability to interact with the environment changed?
Part 2: Reflection Paper
After completing the activity, write a 1–2 page reflection paper addressing the following questions.
Your Experience
- What did you observe during each position?
- Which position felt the most comfortable? The most challenging?
- How did your perspective change as your mobility increased?
Sensory Exploration
- What sights, sounds, textures, or objects captured your attention?
- How did your ability to move affect your learning and exploration?
Developmental Connections
Using concepts from Chapters 5–7, explain how this experience relates to:
- Physical Development
- Cognitive Development
- Psychosocial Development
Be sure to discuss specific developmental concepts and theories introduced in your readings.
Reflection
- What surprised you most about this experience?
- How might infants and toddlers experience the world differently than adults?
- How did this activity increase your understanding of child development?
Written Requirements
Your reflection should:
✔ Be 1–2 pages in length
✔ Be typed and double-spaced
✔ Include specific examples from the activity
✔ Connect your observations to developmental concepts from the textbook
✔ Reference developmental theories when appropriate (Piaget, Erikson, etc.)
✔ Address all three developmental domains:
- Physical
- Cognitive
- Psychosocial
Tips for Success
- Fully engage in the activity, even if it feels unusual or silly at first.
- Take notes during or immediately after each position while your observations are fresh.
- Think beyond what you saw. Consider what you felt, heard, and experienced emotionally.
- Use specific examples from your textbook readings to support your reflection.
- Remember that the goal is not simply to describe the activity but to connect your experience to what infants and toddlers may experience as they grow and develop.
Final Thought
As adults, we often forget how much effort and learning are involved in the simple tasks of looking around a room, reaching for an object, moving across a floor, or communicating a need. This activity is an opportunity to slow down and experience the world through the eyes of a developing child.
I look forward to reading your reflections and seeing the connections you make between your experience and the fascinating developmental journey of infancy and toddlerhood.
BOOK NAME
Understanding the
Whole Child:
Prenatal Development
through Adolescence
Jennifer Paris, Antoinette Ricardo, & Dawn Rymond